FILLED up with petrol recently and noticed something different about the pump?

You may have noticed a combination of numbers and letters that wasn't there before - like E5 and B7...

The Department for Transport (DfT) has rolled out a new labelling system to pumps across the country, giving motorists more information about the fuel they are putting in their vehicles - and to avoid them putting in the wrong fuel, particularly when abroad.

The DfT says the labels, which are consistent across the EU, help motorists identify the right fuel - as well as telling them the biofuel content of petrol and diesel.

Last year, the carbon dioxide (CO2) savings from using biofuels in road transport was equivalent to taking over a million cars off the UK’s roads.

Blending biofuels into regular petrol and diesel reduces CO2 emissions, helping us to meet climate change commitments.

Petrol, which contains up to 5% renewable ethanol, will be labelled ‘E5’, while diesel, which contains up to 7% biodiesel, will be labelled as ‘B7’.

Nothing has changed with regard to the fuel, so drivers should not be concerned.

A spokesperson for the DfT said: "These new labels will help drivers chose the right fuel for their vehicle, while also highlighting the use of biofuels in reducing the CO2 emissions from everyday road vehicles.

"Our Road to Zero strategy set out our ambition to end the sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2040, while the ongoing decarbonising of traditional fuels will help during this transition."

The labels appear on the pumps on every forecourt and on the filler caps of all new vehicles, allowing motorists to easily match the correct fuel to their car or motorbike.

The labels will be increasingly important as new fuels come onto the market.

Somerset County Gazette:

Here is a quick Q&A to help out drivers...

What do the new labels mean?

Petrol is now labelled E5 and diesel is B7.

The letter and number tell you the type of renewable fuel and the maximum percentage of the relevant renewable fuel it contains.

Nothing is changing with the fuels.

The DfT say on new vehicles you can match the label on the pump with a label near the fuel cap.

What if my car has a sticker saying it can use E10 petrol?

You can use E5 petrol as well. E10 is not yet available to use in the UK. It available in Europe, the USA and Australia as well as other parts of the world. Most vehicles built since 2000 have been approved to use E10 petrol as well as E5.

What is E10 petrol?

E10 is petrol with up to 10% renewable ethanol. It could be available in the UK in future to help reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions of petrol vehicles and meet climate change targets.

My car sticker says not to use biodiesel - can I still use B7?

Yes, B7 diesel can be used by all diesel vehicles. The fuel has not changed.

The DfT says some cars have a sticker saying 'no biodiesel' near the fuel filler cap.

This is to stop people using very high biodiesel blends, or even 100% biodiesel.